Masson’s tumor of the kidney: a case report

Background

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (known also as Masson’s tumor) is a benign vascular lesion that commonly occurs in the skin and is rarely found in solid organs, especially in the kidney. In what follows, we will look into the first case of an unexpectedly diagnosed Masson’s tumor of the kidney presenting as a suspicious renal cyst.

Case presentation

A 61-year-old Arab man presented with a left renal cyst, incidentally revealed by ultrasonography. The laboratory values were unremarkable. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a 38 mm left renal midportion Bosniak IV cyst. Our patient underwent a radical nephrectomy. Histopathology revealed the diagnosis of intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia. There was no recurrence detected after 9 years of follow-up.

Conclusions

Renal intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia is a rare benign tumor which can mimic a suspicious renal mass on radiological findings. Thus, this entity should be considered more often in the thick of the diagnostic possibilities in order to avoid unnecessary nephrectomies.

     

Gold and Female Reproductive Organs: an Ultrastructural Study

Gold, a heavy yellow-colored metal, is usually found in nature as a metallic element or as salts. This noble metal historically had a reputation as an anti-inflammatory medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, a nervine, and a remedy for nervous disorders, as well as a potential anticancer agent. It has also been used as component in dental restorations and in implant materials. The present study was undertaken to point out histological and ultrastructural effects of gold, administered by intraperitoneal route, in pregnant female reproductive organs (ovary and uterus), in order to clarify its side effects on the reproductive function. Using the transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the ultrastructural investigations of both ultrathin ovarian and uterine sections of treated pregnant rats revealed the existence of numerous heterogeneous clusters with very electron-dense inclusions characterized by various aspects in the lysosomes of granulosa, theca interna cells, and theca externa cells. Degeneration of these tissues, like cell vacuolization, marked expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondrial alterations, and necrotic foci, were also highlighted. Moreover, huge phagolysosomes and high numbers of eosinophils as signs of inflammation were also identified especially in endometrial and myometrial cells of gold-treated rats. The ultrastructural investigations of reproductive organ sections of control pregnant rats showed a normal ultrastructural aspect and no loaded lysosomes. These results speculated the toxicity of gold at the used dose. The observed signs of toxicity allowed concluding that the important role of lysosome in the sequestration of this element under an insoluble form in all categories of cells in the studied tissues does not seem to be efficient.     

Late‐in‐life treadmill training rejuvenates autophagy,protein aggregate clearance,and function in mouse hearts

Protein quality control mechanisms decline during the process of cardiac aging. This enables the accumulation of protein aggregates and damaged organelles that contribute to age‐associated cardiac dysfunction. Macroautophagy is the process by which post‐mitotic cells such as cardiomyocytes clear defective proteins and organelles. We hypothesized that late‐in‐life exercise training improves autophagy, protein aggregate clearance, and function that is otherwise dysregulated in hearts from old vs. adult mice. As expected, 24‐month‐old male C57BL/6J mice (old) exhibited repressed autophagosome formation and protein aggregate accumulation in the heart, systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and reduced exercise capacity vs. 8‐month‐old (adult) mice (all p < 0.05). To investigate the influence of late‐in‐life exercise training, additional cohorts of 21‐month‐old mice did (old‐ETR) or did not (old‐SED) complete a 3‐month progressive resistance treadmill running program. Body composition, exercise capacity, and soleus muscle citrate synthase activity improved in old‐ETR vs. old‐SED mice at 24 months (all p < 0.05). Importantly, protein expression of autophagy markers indicate trafficking of the autophagosome to the lysosome increased, protein aggregate clearance improved, and overall function was enhanced (all p < 0.05) in hearts from old‐ETR vs. old‐SED mice. These data provide the first evidence that a physiological intervention initiated late‐in‐life improves autophagic flux, protein aggregate clearance, and contractile performance in mouse hearts.     

Identification of a novel protease from the thermophilic Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis M1V and its application as laundry detergent additive

Extremophiles - A thermostable extracellular alkaline protease (called SAPA) was produced (4600&nbsp;U/mL) by Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis M1V, purified to homogeneity, and biochemically...     

Ammonium nutrition in the halophyte Spartina alterniflora under salt stress: evidence for a priming effect of ammonium?

Background and aims

The effects of salt stress on the salt marsh halophyte Spartina alterniflora have been well documented. However, plant responses to combined salinity and ammonium toxicity and the underlying mechanisms are relatively unknown. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of both salinity (0, 200 and 500 mM NaCl) and nitrogen form (NO₃ ^?, NH₄ ⁺ or NH₄NO₃) on S. alterniflora.

Methods

Plants were cultivated in sandy soil under greenhouse conditions for 3 months. At harvest, growth parameters were measured and leaf samples were analysed for oxidative stress parameters (malondialdehyde, MDA; electrolyte leakage, EL; and hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂ concentration) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione reductase, GR; superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; ascorbate peroxidase, APX and Guaiacol peroxidase, GPX).

Results

In the absence of NaCl, plant growth rate was the highest in the medium containing both nitrogen forms, and the lowest in the medium containing only nitrate. Irrespective of the nitrogen form, plant growth was generally higher at 200 mM NaCl than without salinity. Ammonium-fed plants showed better growth than nitrate-fed plants under high salinity. In the absence of salinity, ammonium-fed plants showed higher SOD, APX, GR, CAT, and GPX activities than nitrate-fed ones. The antioxidant enzymes exhibited higher activity in saline-treated plants. The considerable advantage of NH₄ ⁺ nutrition to S. alterniflora under saline conditions was associated with high antioxidant enzyme activities, together with low MDA content, EL, and H₂O₂ concentration.

Conclusion

These data clearly demonstrate that NH₄ ⁺ is more favourable for the growth of S. alterniflora under high salinity than NO₃ ^?. It is suggested that NH₄ ⁺ nutrition improves the plant’s capacity to limit oxidative damage by stimulating the activities of the major antioxidant enzymes.